Pre-fill snifting of cans or bottles just prior to automatic filling with beverage to evacuate air with counterpressurizing carbon dioxide has been practiced for many years in the carbonated beverage and beer fields. However, it has been standard to evacuate the egress air issuing from the soon-to-be filled cans or bottles through a counterpressure tube into the bowl (the source of beverage for filling the cans or bottles). Such delivery of air from the cans or bottles to the bowl creates very substantial problems, even though the bowl typically accommodates discharge of air above the beverage.
The beverage in the bowl receives any contaminates carried by the air. Thus, to at least some extent, the product is contaminated by the impure air and becomes impure itself, to some extent.
Also, for example, the delicate, flavor-related balance between gas and deaerated syrup is disrupted. The beverage ultimately canned or bottled consequently has a higher than optimal air content. The risk of product foaming during the filling process increases as the air content of the product increases. The greater the tendency to foam, the more likely the speed of the filling equipment will need to be reduced to control foaming. Thus, production is slowed. Further, the higher the air content in the closed cans and bottles, the lower the shelf life.
Prior attempts to solve pre-fill snifting problems have involved complex, elaborate, and expensive equipment while has proven to be generally unreliable and often inoperable.